Learning a new language is an exciting journey that opens up new cultural and personal horizons. If you’ve been studying Estonian and have reached the A2 level, congratulations! At this stage, you’re expected to handle simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar topics. To help you on your journey, I’ve compiled a list of essential Estonian words and phrases that will be particularly useful at the A2 level. Mastering these will significantly enhance your communication skills and boost your confidence.

Basic Vocabulary

Understanding and using basic vocabulary is crucial at the A2 level. Below are some essential categories along with their corresponding words.

Numbers

Knowing numbers is fundamental for various daily interactions, such as shopping, telling time, and discussing dates.

– **One** – üks
– **Two** – kaks
– **Three** – kolm
– **Four** – neli
– **Five** – viis
– **Six** – kuus
– **Seven** – seitse
– **Eight** – kaheksa
– **Nine** – üheksa
– **Ten** – kümme

Days of the Week

Days of the week are crucial when making plans and appointments.

– **Monday** – esmaspäev
– **Tuesday** – teisipäev
– **Wednesday** – kolmapäev
– **Thursday** – neljapäev
– **Friday** – reede
– **Saturday** – laupäev
– **Sunday** – pühapäev

Months

Knowing the months is important for talking about dates, seasons, and holidays.

– **January** – jaanuar
– **February** – veebruar
– **March** – märts
– **April** – aprill
– **May** – mai
– **June** – juuni
– **July** – juuli
– **August** – august
– **September** – september
– **October** – oktoober
– **November** – november
– **December** – detsember

Common Phrases

Here are some common phrases you’ll find useful in everyday conversations.

– **Hello** – Tere
– **Goodbye** – Nägemist
– **Please** – Palun
– **Thank you** – Aitäh
– **Yes** – Jah
– **No** – Ei
– **Excuse me** – Vabandust
– **How are you?** – Kuidas läheb?
– **I’m fine, thank you** – Mul läheb hästi, aitäh
– **What is your name?** – Mis su nimi on?
– **My name is [Name]** – Minu nimi on [Nimi]

Family Members

Discussing your family is a common topic in everyday conversations.

– **Father** – isa
– **Mother** – ema
– **Brother** – vend
– **Sister** – õde
– **Son** – poeg
– **Daughter** – tütar
– **Grandfather** – vanaisa
– **Grandmother** – vanaema
– **Uncle** – onu
– **Aunt** – tädi
– **Cousin** – nõbu

Colors

Colors are important for describing objects and expressing preferences.

– **Red** – punane
– **Blue** – sinine
– **Green** – roheline
– **Yellow** – kollane
– **Black** – must
– **White** – valge
– **Brown** – pruun
– **Orange** – oranž
– **Pink** – roosa
– **Purple** – lilla

Food and Drink

Being able to talk about food and drink is essential, especially when dining out or shopping for groceries.

Common Foods

– **Bread** – leib
– **Cheese** – juust
– **Meat** – liha
– **Chicken** – kana
– **Fish** – kala
– **Vegetable** – köögivili
– **Fruit** – puuvili
– **Apple** – õun
– **Banana** – banaan
– **Potato** – kartul
– **Carrot** – porgand

Drinks

– **Water** – vesi
– **Juice** – mahl
– **Milk** – piim
– **Coffee** – kohv
– **Tea** – tee
– **Beer** – õlu
– **Wine** – vein

Useful Phrases in a Restaurant

– **Menu** – menüü
– **Waiter/Waitress** – kelner/ettekandja
– **Bill** – arve
– **I would like [item]** – Ma sooviksin [eset]
– **Can I have the bill, please?** – Kas ma saaksin arve, palun?

Transportation and Directions

Understanding transportation vocabulary and how to ask for directions is crucial for navigating through any city.

Modes of Transportation

– **Car** – auto
– **Bus** – buss
– **Train** – rong
– **Bicycle** – jalgratas
– **Airplane** – lennuk
– **Taxi** – takso
– **Boat** – paat

Giving and Asking for Directions

– **Where is the [place]?** – Kus on [koht]?
– **How do I get to [place]?** – Kuidas ma saan [kohta]?
– **Left** – vasak
– **Right** – parem
– **Straight** – otse
– **Near** – lähedal
– **Far** – kaugel
– **Next to** – kõrval
– **In front of** – ees
– **Behind** – taga

Shopping

Shopping is a common activity, and knowing relevant vocabulary can make the experience much smoother.

Common Phrases

– **How much does this cost?** – Kui palju see maksab?
– **I would like to buy [item]** – Ma sooviksin osta [eset]
– **Do you have [item]?** – Kas teil on [eset]?
– **Can I pay by card?** – Kas ma saan kaardiga maksta?
– **Receipt** – kviitung
– **Cash** – sularaha
– **Card** – kaart

Types of Stores

– **Grocery store** – toidupood
– **Clothing store** – rõivapood
– **Pharmacy** – apteek
– **Bookstore** – raamatupood
– **Bakery** – pagaritöökoda

Health and Emergencies

Knowing how to talk about health and emergencies is crucial for your safety and well-being.

Common Health Vocabulary

– **Doctor** – arst
– **Hospital** – haigla
– **Pharmacy** – apteek
– **Medicine** – ravim
– **Pain** – valu
– **Cold** (illness) – külmetus
– **Fever** – palavik

Useful Phrases in Emergencies

– **I need a doctor** – Mul on arsti vaja
– **Call an ambulance** – Kutsuge kiirabi
– **I am allergic to [substance]** – Ma olen allergiline [aine]
– **Help!** – Aidake!
– **Where is the nearest hospital?** – Kus on lähim haigla?

Weather

Discussing the weather is a common topic in daily conversations.

Common Weather Vocabulary

– **Sunny** – päikeseline
– **Cloudy** – pilvine
– **Rainy** – vihmane
– **Snowy** – lumine
– **Windy** – tuuline
– **Hot** – kuum
– **Cold** – külm

Useful Weather Phrases

– **What is the weather like?** – Milline ilm on?
– **It is sunny today** – Täna on päikeseline
– **It will rain tomorrow** – Homme sajab vihma
– **It is very cold** – On väga külm

Common Verbs

Verbs are the action words that form the backbone of your sentences. Here are some commonly used verbs at the A2 level.

– **To be** – olema
– **To have** – omama
– **To do** – tegema
– **To go** – minema
– **To eat** – sööma
– **To drink** – jooma
– **To see** – nägema
– **To read** – lugema
– **To write** – kirjutama
– **To speak** – rääkima
– **To understand** – mõistma
– **To want** – tahtma
– **To need** – vajama
– **To buy** – ostma
– **To sell** – müüma

Adjectives

Adjectives help you describe nouns and add more detail to your conversations.

Common Adjectives

– **Big** – suur
– **Small** – väike
– **Good** – hea
– **Bad** – halb
– **Old** – vana
– **New** – uus
– **Happy** – õnnelik
– **Sad** – kurb
– **Beautiful** – ilus
– **Ugly** – kole
– **Easy** – lihtne
– **Difficult** – raske

Useful Phrases with Adjectives

– **This is very good** – See on väga hea
– **That is too big** – See on liiga suur
– **I am happy** – Ma olen õnnelik
– **This is difficult** – See on raske

Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence.

Common Prepositions

– **In** – sees
– **On** – peal
– **Under** – all
– **Next to** – kõrval
– **Behind** – taga
– **In front of** – ees
– **Between** – vahel
– **With** – koos
– **Without** – ilma

Useful Phrases with Prepositions

– **The book is on the table** – Raamat on laua peal
– **The cat is under the chair** – Kass on tooli all
– **I am with my friend** – Ma olen koos oma sõbraga
– **The store is next to the bank** – Pood on panga kõrval

Questions and Answers

Being able to ask and answer questions is crucial for effective communication.

Common Question Words

– **Who** – Kes
– **What** – Mis
– **When** – Millal
– **Where** – Kus
– **Why** – Miks
– **How** – Kuidas

Useful Question Phrases

– **What is this?** – Mis see on?
– **Who are you?** – Kes sa oled?
– **When is the meeting?** – Millal on kohtumine?
– **Where is the restroom?** – Kus on tualett?
– **Why are you late?** – Miks sa hilinesid?
– **How do I do this?** – Kuidas ma seda teen?

Common Answers

– **This is a book** – See on raamat
– **I am a student** – Ma olen õpilane
– **The meeting is at 3 PM** – Kohtumine on kell 3
– **The restroom is over there** – Tualett on seal
– **I was stuck in traffic** – Ma jäin liiklusummikusse
– **You do it like this** – Sa teed seda nii

Conclusion

Reaching the A2 level in Estonian is a significant milestone. By mastering these essential words and phrases, you will be well-equipped to handle everyday conversations and interactions. Remember, language learning is a gradual process, and consistent practice is key to becoming proficient. Keep using these words in your daily life, engage in conversations, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Each interaction will bring you one step closer to fluency. Good luck with your language learning journey!